Vincentian Father Vincent J. O’Malley called it a “grace-filled moment.”
Three days after Mary G. Camilleri killed Patricia Mauro-Cillo and John Cillo in an Aug. 8 car accident outside St. Joseph in Emmitsburg, Father O’Malley arranged for the active parishioner to meet with Cillo family members at the church.
“The first person inside the room ran up to (Camilleri) and hugged and kissed her and said there are no ill feelings,” said Father O’Malley, who had earlier met with Camilleri and parish staff members to assure her they loved her.
“Then, every family member hugged her,” he said. “It was a demonstration of forgiveness. It takes courage to be a Christian, and both the family members and the driver received great graces that day.”
For more than six years, bringing people together has been a hallmark of Father O’Malley’s pastorate. Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski will celebrate the pastor’s Emmitsburg ministry with a 4:30 p.m. Mass at St. Joseph Aug. 21 – less than two weeks before Father O’Malley begins a new assignment as administrator of St. Lazare Retreat House in Spring Lake, Mich.
Father O’Malley arrived in Emmitsburg at a time when St. Joseph was suffering significant divisions.
In 2000, the Archdiocese of Baltimore banned the weekly prayer meetings that had been held at the parish by Gianna Talone-Sullivan. A pharmacologist, Talone-Sullivan claimed to have received messages from the Blessed Virgin Mary. Following an investigation,
Cardinal William H. Keeler issued a decree stating that the visions were not supernatural – a position reaffirmed in a 2008 archdiocesan statement.
“My approach to the Gianna movement was to try my best to speak the truth with love, as St. Paul tells us,” Father O’Malley said. “I tried to persuade people by prayer and concrete evidence from reason and faith to support the church’s positions.”
During his time in Emmitsburg, Father O’Malley taught religion once a week at Mother Seton School. At the parish, he supported a variety of programs including Theology on Tap, Catholics Returning Home, RCIA classes, Disciples in Mission, youth programs and more. He was very involved in the ecumenical movement.
Father O’Malley dedicated much time to conducting 30-minute interviews with new parishioners, in addition to the parents and those receiving First Communion and confirmation.
“The benefit is that the pastor gets to know his people,” Father O’Malley said, “and they get to know him better.”
The priest will miss the parishioners and the people of Emmitsburg – especially the children.
“This whole town is made up of people of faith and people of service,” he said. “I would be delighted to come back some day as an older priest.”
Email George Matysek at gmatysek@CatholicReview.org
